I have been running FN-49 surveys on a number of Boards for several months.  I now have data for 305 FN-49 rifles in my data base.  We have learned a lot about the FN-49 as a result of Board member’s contributions.

I would appreciate it if all FN-49 owners on this Board would participate in this survey.  The more rifles in the data base - the more we learn.  You may post your results on this thread, or if your prefer, email me direct at [email protected].

If you are interested in the survey results as of March 2nd (3,500 words!), they are posted on the FAL Files Board at: FN-49 Survey Results


SURVEY QUESTIONS:

Notes:

I only capture serial numbers down to a block of 100 numbers (i.e., 99XX) and I DO NOT retain any names with the data.  This limits the fidelity of the data, but protects everyone’s privacy.   Please replace the last 2 numbers of your serial number with “XXs” unless your serial number is 3 digits or less – then use one “X.”

The “scope cut” is a shallow female dovetail, .5” in height, that runs along the left receiver rail.  The upper part of the dovetail is visible – the lower end of the dovetail is usually at or slightly below the stock.

Egyptian Contract (8x57 chambering – 7.92x57 for you purists):

Serial Number
Receiver ring crest (crown or eagle)?
Have scope cut on left receiver rail?
Have a middle sling swivel located about 2” in front of the magazine?
Have a reinforcing crossbolt in the stock?

Optional question:  Is the bolt machined to take a firing pin safety stop?  (This machining is in the top of the bolt and is milled down into the firing pin channel on the aft end of the bolt).  If so, does the bolt serial number match the receiver serial number?

Venezuelan Contract (7x57 chambering):

Serial number
Have a circular “Fuerzas Armadas Venezuela” cartouche on the right side of the buttstock?
Does the rear guard screw (behind trigger guard) have a small lock screw?
Optional question: Have a 2-piece or 1-piece handguard? (requires loosening the lower band in order to wiggle the handguards to find out).

Note: It’s generally accepted that all Venezuelans had the scope cut and muzzle brake so I am not surveying for that data.

Argentine Contract (7.62x51 chambering w/detachable box magazine):

Serial number
Have scope cut on the left receiver rail?
Have an “ARA” cartouche on the buttstock?  On left side or right side?

Note: If you have an Argentine in the original 7.65 chambering, please feel free to share your good fortune with the rest of us!

30-06 RIFLES

Which Contract? (check receiver ring marking – see legend below)
Serial number
Have scope cut on the left receiver rail?
Which buttplate?  (stamped steel w/trap OR ridged steel with no trap OR, for Colombian rifles only, a rubber pad?)
Have a reinforcing crossbolt in the stock just below the receiver ring?

Receiver ring legend:

“AL” = Luxembourg
“ABL” = Belgian
Columbia has National Crest
“FP” & Lion = Congo
“ALRI”/”ADRI”/”AURI” = Indonesia
Brazil = unknown – probably National Crest

*************************************

That’s it.  Thanks in advance to all contributors.  

Goose

Gun #1---
Egyptian contract
Ser#---329xx
Crest---crown
Scope cut---yes
Middle sling swivel---no
Cross bolt---no
Milled for stop---yes
Matching #---yes


Gun#2
Egyptian contract
Ser#---238xx
Crest---crown
Scope cut---no
Middle sling swivel---no
Cross bolt---no
Milled for stop---yes
Matching #---yes

Noname - Thanks for the info, I'll plug it in.  You just put me up to 307 rifles!

On your bolts, you say both are cut for the firing pin safety stop?  Just asking 'cause this is sorta rare and I'm surprised both your rifles have these bolts.  If you got the time can you click the link below to a Gunboards thread and take a look at the pic that's posted there?  Let me know which of the 3 bolts your's look like.
www.gunboards.com/forums/UltraBoard.cgi?action=Read&BID=8&TID=3994&P=1&SID=1497625#ID6

Thanks again for work of checking out your rifles.

Goose

Both bolts are Type 2 "bulbous groove".

Quoted: Both bolts are Type 2 "bulbous groove".

Hmmmmm - I see you have the Poyer book !!!!

Thanks for the comeback  Goose

You're welcome. And yep to the Poyer book. Seems like every time North Cape comes out with a new book, I end up with it...

Any more FN-49 owners on the board ?

Thanks,

Goose

Here is what I have.
I don't know if this has the cut for scope or not.



Crest


7.92X57 cal.
Mixmaster from Century as far as I can tell.
New OEM barrel I installed.
Serial # 95XX
No swing swivel
No cross bolt
Plastic butt
Paid $350.00

flashbang1

Thanks for the info.  I'm not seeing your pics at my end so I'm gonna assume that you have a "Crown" crest.  If you have the black plastic buttplate then it's the Century repro stock so the middle swivel and crossbolt questions don't apply.

Thanks again,  

Goose

Edit by Goose - You pics finally showed on my end - yep - that's the crown crest.  On your receiver pic - you're looking a bit too far back.  The scope groove runs along the left receiver rail - just to the left side of the magazine area.  I can just see the back portion of the rail in your pic though and you don't have the scope cut.  Thanks for posting.

Anybody else with an FN-49 ?

Thanks,  

Wow - Only 2 FN-49 owners on the Board????????

Goose

Wow - the Board moves just TOO fast . . . only about 3 hours on page one and you're back in the boondocks!

I thought I'd throw this back up to the first page one more time before I let this thread sink into the bowels of the archives ! ! !

Anyway, any more FN-49 owners want to play!

Goose

I GOT ONE! I GOT ONE!!

Egyptian.

Serial # 284XX.

Crown.

Scope cut.

No middle swivel.

Machined for firing pin stop, like middle picture. Serial number matches, but is stamped on RH side ON TOP OF Belgian proof mark. LH side shows evidence (blued over) of grinding.

Sorry, I don't have my stock here and can't remember about the crossbolt. I'm sure there was no middle swivel.

Hey, Goose -

My stock is sort of rotten and wormy looking, not to mention beat up badly. Maybe you could fill me in on my options for replacement. Are the 7mm and .30-06 stocks interchangeable with my 8mm? I asked Numrich about a stock they were offering, and they said one size fits all. Somebody else on this board said that book you mentioned indicated huge dimensional differences between models. I emailed Northridge (I think it was) about a stock they were offering, and they never responded.

Any advice? This Turkish ammo keeps piling up around my house... no room for wife... need help quick.

Outstanding . . . another hit!

fuzzbean  Thanks for the data - I'll plug it in.  Other than the possibility of the bolt re-mark - everything sounds OK on your rifle.

On the stock replacement, there are actually about 3 different ones.  The 30-06/Argentine stock, the Egyptian and early variant Venezuelan, and the 3rd that is unique to the late variant Vennie.  The primary differences are in the trigger guard inletting (and the buttplate inletting).  Also, most of the 30-06/Argy stocks have a recoil lug/crossbolt that most Egyptians and all Vennies do NOT have.  The differences between the stocks are not huge, but big enough that you've got to do some metal/wood alterations and in some cases some parts swapping to make everything work.

In your case, your best option is to see if you can fancy-up your existing stock.  If you think that it's too far gone, the only close replacement is the early Vennie stock and these are just not available.

The stocks at Northridge are 30-06 stocks.  They can be MADE to fit on your rifle but only with some effort.  Most Egyptian receivers are not machined with the necessary clearance cut for the recoil lug.  You options are to machine the receiver or remove the crossbolt & recoil lug from the stock and cut wood plugs to fill the hole.  Next, you may be able to use the Egyptian trigger guard assembly in the -06 stock BUT the inletting will be wrong (gaps at the sides and at the back) and you will either have to live with that OR carefully glue in some filler blocks and re-inlet.  OR, you can spend another $25 to $35 for a stripped -06 trigger guard and transfer all your current trigger group parts over to the -06 housing.  Now, your 8mm mag box will not work in the -06 housing so you'll have to come up with an -06 mag box (another $30/$40), lastly, your 8mm buttplate will not work on a 30-06 stock you need to spend another $10-20 to get the -06-style buttplate . . . Get the idea why it's best to stick with your current stock if you can ! !  You can MAKE it work - with time and $$$

Just BTW, be carefull with the Turk ammo in the gas guns (Hakim or FN49).  I just hear too many BAD things about the Turk.  Some folks have shot thousands of rounds in their gas guns with no problems BUT some folks haven't been so lucky.  If you DO shoot it, open up the gas regulator sleeve about 5/6 full turns from closed (rifle won't run at this setting) and start closing it down until the rifle starts to eject and feed OK and stop there .  .

HTH

Goose

btt...

Rotdorn thanks for the data.  I'll plug it in.  These Luxembourg contract rifles were imported in the '60s before GCA '68.  Do you think that the first owner here in the US mounted the 3x9?  There's no record of any variable scopes being used on SAFN snipers.  

Does the scope mount say "Echo" on the side??

Thanks for the input.

Goose

Rotdorn - Don't worry about digging back through the safe.  The only scoped Luxies that I'm really interested in are in the 7000 serial number range and have a screwed-on wood cheekpiece.

Anyway, thanks for the help - I'm up to 327 rifles in the data base!   Goose

OK - I'm bringing this back to the top one more time - any of you daytime surfers out there have an FN-49 and wanna play ! ! !

Goose

Thanks for the info, Goose. I'll have to be careful with the Turkish ammo, if I get my rifle going. I did notice it was loaded pretty hot, when firing some out of a Mauser.

fuzzbean - Since I posted about the Turk on this thread, I've seen several more reports on the Turk ammo.  You might want to check this thread out over on Gunboards - yet another discussion where some people say no problems with the Turk and others say it's bad juju:

www.gunboards.com/forums/UltraBoard.cgi?action=Read&BID=29&TID=657&SID=1568135

Goose

I got a 30-06 SA-FN

Contract ??
Ser Num. 56xxx
Scope Cut - No
Middle sling swivel-Yes
Cross bolt - Yes
Milled for stop - Yes
Matching # - yes
Butt Plate - Stamp

SigBlueStar

THANKS !  Always interested in the folks up North.  I guess you got hit with blocking your magazine to 5 rounds, eh.

On your serial number, can you give me one more digit (56?XX).  Also, is there anything on your receiver ring at all.  By your serial number, you have a Belgian contract rifle so you should have an "ABL" and maybe a crown, the letter "B" or "L" and maybe the year of production on the receiver ring . . . OR, all of this info may have been ground off and you could have a plain receiver ring.  Can you let me know what you see?

Getting this data is sorta important as I have very few Belgians in my data base as Belgium released these rifles as surplus sometime between 1968 and 1984 when importation of military surplus rifles was banned by the U.S.  So far, the only reports that I have of Belgian-contract rifles (ABLs) is a few from New Zealand, Australia (poor guy gave me data from his records as he had to surrender his rifle), and one earlier from Canada.

I just checked my data base and I already have a 56XXX in there that is listed as having no crest.  Have you responded to this survey before or are you a "new" 56XXX?

Thanks,

Goose

PS - do you have digital pic capability?  If there are any markings on the receiver ring it would be REALLY helpful to have a pic of that.  I'm at [email protected]

No new guy is someone else. My receiver ring looks like it has been grounded off. I can see were they let the marks. Sorry I don't have a digital camera. Yes I had to block the mag. I used a strip of sawder to block it to 5 rounds.

Ser# 567XX

OK - thanks for the info.  I now have seven rifles in the data base that have the receiver ring markings ground off so this has been reported before.

Goose